Save Black and Nobel

Starting with just a table and select merchandise, Hakim Hopkins founded Black and Nobel fifteen years ago. Over the years Hakim has cultivated the Black and Nobel brand by servicing the community from its base in Philadelphia. Black and Nobel’s impact has now expanded to reach communities throughout the globe.

Black and Nobel provides a wide-array of services including, but not limited to: shipping books to prisons, hosting community-oriented lectures, presenting Open Mic Showcases for independent artists and even delivering fresh water to residents of Flint, Michigan.

Given the economic climate in recent years, management at Black and Nobel has found it necessary to adjust their strategy in order to continue to serve the community. Part of that strategy includes empowering younger team members to use their talents to increase Black and Nobel’s internet presence. In addition, Black and Nobel plans to acquire a tour bus to facilitate face-to-face community outreach in neighborhoods and schools across the nation.

Regardless of where you live, your support is needed to make sure Black and Nobel can continue to serve YOU, YOUR family and YOUR community. Any donation is helpful and greatly appreciated!

Black and Nobel is MORE THAN A BOOK STORE!

It is a sanctuary, a school, safe-haven and community hub where like-minded folks meet to collaborate for empowering themselves and the various communities they hail from. We as the creative are joining together to ensure that Black and Nobel can continue to serve as many individuals and families as possible for many years to come. Thank you for your continued support in helping reach that goal!

Ashley's Tuition and Expenses

My name is Ashley Walker. I am a undergraduate student at Chicago State University. I am majoring in Chemistry and double minoring in Physics and Math. My research is in Astrochemistry. I am in need of help that would greatly be appreciated. In November of 2016, my mother and I went to Webb Chevy to purchase a new vehicle. I was denied credit which we found odd because I had good credit. My mother offered a down payment and I was still denied. My mother used her savings and purchased me a used vehicle to travel to and from school and also to local conferences. I tried to purchase internet service and the same day that I enroll in school for the spring term but I was informed by both places that something was wrong with my social security number. AT&T even told me they are getting a fraudulgent report and they could not issue any service to me. I was informed by my school’s financial aid advisor that I needed my social security card. My mother and I went to the Social Security Administration , and I was informed that I was “dead”. I was shocked beyond belief especially with the date that was given, August 31, 2016, the same day my father died. My father, Kenneth Lavell Walker, died that night from lung cancer and I was an informant on the death certificate. My social security number was not on the certificate. I mailed a copy of his death certificate to all 3 cerdit bureaus after his death. This is where my problem began. Experian declared me dead, informed the credit card companies, and my credit cards were put on hold. The credit bureau refused to budge, and even accused me of fraud. They said Social Security told them I was dead. Equifax has a number that stays busy. Transunion keeps saying they have to connect me with their US office and then I get disconnected on every call. My credit score plummeted to a 540. The U.S. department of Education had removed my financial aid for the fall and began to remove my funding for the spring. My story was featured on ABC7 News in Chicago. I have been eligible for a fellowship to Harvard for summer 2017 to help achieve my goal of being the first Black Woman to receive a PhD in Astrochemistry. After the news story was televised, Social Security said they would work faster to fix problem. Time is running out. Spring session starts and I need to get back in school on January 9, 2017. If I am not back in school, I will lose my fellowship for Harvard this summer. I am not credit worthy now for loans this why I am asking for help. We are still working hard to get the 3 credit bureaus to cooperate but they are no longer stationed in the United States so you can not see people face-to-face. Any money donated would be greatly appreciated. I have always been fascinated with space and want to continue my research. I want to make a difference in a positive way in this fascinating world of ours. I am still grieving my father and this problem is an added burden. See Link Below:http://abc7chicago.com/news/college-students-future-in-danger-after-shes-mistakenly-declared-dead/1678667/

Global Women of Photography Book!

Mfon: Women Photographers of the African Diaspora is an exclusive and commemorative book launching a bi-annual journal committed to establishing and representing a collective voice of women photographers of African descent. The inaugural issue of Mfon will feature 100 women photographers across the Diaspora. This iconic issue will feature an introduction by Dr. Deborah Willis, MacArthur Fellow and Chair of the Department of Photography & Imaging at the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. It will include conversations and essays written by women scholars, journalists and artists. Subsequent issues of Mfon will feature photographic essays of four or five photographers with in depth interviews and essays that will contextualize the work.

This campaign is a PRE-SALE for the seminal, inaugural edition of Mfon: Women Photographers of the African Diaspora.

The cost for each book is $25. If you’d like to contribute to the ‘Mfon Legacy Grant’ as well as purchase the book, the price is $30. There is also an opportunity to contribute to the overall project – any amount is welcomed! Mfon is founded by award winning documentary photographer, Laylah Amatullah Barrayn and critically acclaimed, award winning visual artist, Adama Delphine Fawundu with the goal of creating awareness of the impact that women photographers of African descent have in the world. They are joined by Emmy award winning producer and Mfon’s deputy editor, Crystal Whaley

In keeping with the idea of “my sister’s keeper,” the journal is named in memory of Mmekutmfon ‘Mfon’ Essien (1967 – 2001) a sharp-witted, visionary photographer who exhibited at the Senegalese Biennale in Dakar, Senegal and received an honorable mention in the American Photo magazine annual survey of the nation’s best photographers. She passed away from breast cancer the day before her series “The Amazon’s New Clothes” was exhibited at the Brooklyn Museum of Art as part of the critically acclaimed exhibition “Committed to the Image: Contemporary Black Photographers.”

The objectives of Mfon: Women Photographers of the African Diaspora are to:

a. Promote an international representative voice of women photographers of African descent.

b. Fill a void while creating a space for intellectual discourse around issues represented by women photographers of African descent.

c. Create a powerful collective of women photographers, journalists, and scholars to build their practi ces through solid representation of their voices within the field of photography.

d. Creation and establishment of the ‘Mfon Legacy Grant’ which will be awarded to emerging Black Women photographers of African descent.

e. Subsequent issues of Mfon will be published bi-annually and feature women photographers of African descent as well as highlight the work of Mfon Legacy Grantees.

This campaign is a PRE-SALE for the seminal, inaugural edition of Mfon: Women Photographers of the African Diaspora book.

The cost for each book is $25. If you’d like to contribute to the ‘Mfon Legacy Grant’ as well as purchase the book, the price is $30. There is also an opportunity to contribute to the overall project – any amount is welcomed.

We appreciate your interest and support of this very important and necessary work and look forward to sharing it with you. Thank you!

The Black Woman Is God

Help expand The Black Woman is God! We are transforming the Bay Area art scene and the world, so we need your support! With your help, we look forward to bringing you beautiful gifts of art and community.

Our names are Karen Seneferu and Melorra Green. We are artists, activists, and change-makers. We love Black art and work to create spaces for Black women artists who are often marginalized in the art world.

Last year we had 2,000 people come out to the opening reception of The Black Woman Is God at SOMArts in San Francisco. So many performers, artists, healers, and stewards helped make this mammoth exhibition possible — providing a platform for 60 Black visual artists to contribute over 100 pieces of artwork and over 75 dancers, drummers, and performers to activate the exhibition at the opening reception.

Since then, SOMArts has created space for us to bring The Black Woman is God back in 2017 and the exhibition has gotten bigger. We are reaching out to you for financial support to show appreciation for those who continue to give without requesting to be paid. Let’s show the artists, the communities and the world that The Black Woman is God is not only an exhibition but a movement that has the power to bring about healing and transformation.

This is what we have done so far and what we are asking you to support:

In exchange for your generous support, here are the rewards we’re offering:

· Pledge $1,000+: Assemblage from Karen Seneferu· Pledge $500+: Original artpiece from one of The Black Woman is God exhibiting artists· Pledge $200+: Print from one of The Black Woman is God exhibiting artists· Pledge $100+: Receive a copy of The Black Woman is God photo book· Pledge $50+: Show the world you know that The Black Woman is God with an exhibition t-shirt. Pledge $ 25+: Greeting Card from one of The Black Woman is God exhibiting artists

Sisters Overcoming Stereotypes

Sisters Overcoming Stereotypes, Incorporated is an official nonprofit corporation as of May 2, 2017!

We were also approved for a business bank account to transfer funds from the GoFundMe campaign into that account for business use.

As you may have already figured out, our GoFundMe campaign was temporarily suspended. As part of the GoFundMe rules, you must set up withdrawals within 30 days or GoFundMe will suspend your campaign from accepting donations.

Our campaign is NOW ACCEPTING DONATIONS AGAIN.

In the meantime, we are moving forward with plans to obtain 501(c)(3) status for SOS, which means we will have quite a busy summer making the proper filings in accordance to meeting IRS guidelines to obtain it. We have 27 months from the time of incorporation to obtain the 501(c)(3) status for our nonprofit org so that the status will be retroactive from the incorporation date. We hope to obtain this status much sooner.

We want to let you know that we are handling BUSINESS here, and every red cent of your donation is being handled professionally and being used for the purpose for which it was given.

Thank you so much for believing in us and the protection of Black girls and women. We have some great plans for the summer and we hope to see you all soon!

A New Home for Ruby Sales

PLEASE CONSIDER HELPING WITH contributions for Ruby to find a new home where she can continue her life’s work for social justice. Ruby’s tireless advocacy for social and racial justice is immeasurable and continuous. Unfortunately, events outside of her control have uprooted her and forced her to find a new home, a position she would never mention or complain about, and certainly not ask for anyone’s help, but which puts her health and well-being at risk.

Courageous women have fought unimaginable battles during their lives so we, women of all ages and races, reap the benefits of their work and sacrifices. Ruby Sales is one of those women: she continues to teach us, inspire us, and mentor us. She is a life-long activist, highly respected scholar, and public theologian who has worked for social and racial justice all of her life. As part of SNCC and the Southern Freedom Movement, she fought tirelessly for broad social change and has never stopped. Ruby is one of 50 people included in the Civil Rights History project at the African American Museum in Washington. She has never given up, and has always shared her wisdom and financial resources to help fight the racism, misogyny, homophobia, and classism that have so damaged our humanity.

Ruby recently returned to her home in Atlanta after 6 weeks of speaking, teaching, and preaching along the East coast, including an engagement at Riverside Church in New York City to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s sermon there, “Beyond Vietnam.” When Ruby returned to Atlanta, she received a phone call informing her that her beloved younger sister, Rhonda, who had been at Riverside Church to be with and honor her sister, had died suddenly of an aneurysm. Ruby left that same day for South Carolina to attend the funeral.

After a week with her family, just beginning to grieve her sister’s passing, she once again returned to Atlanta only to discover that the entire lower floor of her rented home had been flooded. Her life’s collection of valuable historic materials, including original writings, letters, photographs, and other artifacts from the Civil Rights Movement, Black history, and women’s history, were destroyed. Only a portion of these invaluable documents and artifacts could be saved, at a cost of at least $7,000. There were still others that could not be restored. In addition to this enormous loss, the extremely high levels of dangerous bacteria and mold from the water and flooding reached the upstairs living area through the ventilation system, making her rented home completely unsafe to inhabit.

Ruby’s entire life has been dedicated to uplifting others, standing up to hatred, and fighting against racism. The loss she now faces is devastating. Her humility would keep her from ever asking for help, but those who love and admire her, and feel sincere gratitude for her life’s work, are stepping up to give to her as she has given to others. The total expenses that Ruby will incur for finding and moving into a safe home and for the restoration of these vital historic materials are unclear, but will likely exceed even the initial goal of $15,000

There is nothing we can do to ease the pain of Ruby’s sister’s passing or to ease the loss of her home and devastation of these primary source historic materials, but we can try to lessen her burden so that she can continue to fight for social justice. Ruby will be free to use the money in any way that she needs. It is time for all of us to step up and give back, and no gift is too small. We are compelled as Ruby’s Sisters and the beneficiaries of her dedication and sacrifices to raise funds for Ruby and ask for your help. We are so thankful for your support, kindness, and appreciation.

BLACK LIBERATION MOVEMENT CAMPAIGN

Black Power Movement – is one of the original formations of the international struggle built to challenge state-sanctioned violence against Black peoples vision towards building a just, full and complete freedom.

Since 1998, I have worked in various formations to disrupt systems of oppression, racism, white supremacy, black – self-hatred and work towards solutions to end police profiling, brutality, and murder of black people.

In a little more than two years, since accepting the position of National Chief of Staff of the movement, our membership has grown tremendously locally and thousands worldwide. As we continue to build a black united front and a modern black power movement to be a direct challenge to the system of racism, white supremacy, and black self-hatred there are real costs involved. We need your support for legal fees, materials and supplies, travel, and facilities costs related to actions, meetings, and our ongoing work.

Thank You. To everyone from the bottom of my heart for your generous contributions, care, concern and commitment to the freedom tradition that I am dedicated to, that to do justice, love, mercy and walk humbly with God must be a spiritual discipline that not only calls us to love our neighbor, but liberates ourselves and each other from the chains of social oppression.

Hosea Helps New Location Campaign

What the funds are for: Over four decades, Hosea Helps resided at 1035 Donnelly Avenue in Southwest Atlanta. As of July 1, 2017, Hosea Helps will be homeless, and our lease will not be renewed, so we need a NEW HOME. The funds from this campaign will go towards purchasing our new warehouse, moving expenses and closing costs.

Imagine: What would Atlanta be without Hosea Helps:– 15,000 Georgia seniors would not receive hot meals– 121 families will go homeless– 2,000 children would not have school supplies or toys for Christmas– 2,800 families would not have vital health screenings and preventative health care services– 21,000 families would be without nutritious food– 2,000 orphans in Uganda would be without food and housing– 700 children in our school in the Philippines would lose access to education K-12.– Countless number of homeless citizens would freeze in the winter along with hundreds of seniors would not have heat– 9,000 volunteers would lose the opportunity to give back to the greater Atlanta community

We need to raise $600,000 to help with PURCHASING, MOVING & CLOSING COSTS.The new location will be larger allowing us to expand our outreach programs and continue our mission – helping people in need.

How you can help:We need your help to continue our work, so please donate to this campaign. Please share our GoFundMe link with your friends and family on Facebook, email, Twitter, and text message, because each share makes a real difference!

Note: Hosea Helps is a 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit organization – donations are tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law. All donations will be used solely for the purchase, moving expenses and costing cost for the new warehouse.

Our Story:Hosea Williams, born in Attapulgus, Georgia was a civil rights activist, trailblazer, and a courageous scientist who was instrumental in collaborating with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in the civil rights movement as Dr. King’s 1st Lieutenant.

In 1972, he founded the organization Hosea Feed the Hungry & Homeless and continued helping others until his death on November 16, 2000. Today, his daughter Elisabeth Omilami, CEO of Hosea Helps continues his legacy along with her husband, Afemo Omilami. Known for its massive holiday dinner festivals, Hosea Helps provides services all year long for thousands of people. People can sign up for government-funded programs, find out where to receive legal aid, obtain clothing, toiletry items, and of course, food from our food bank.

Since 1972,HOSEA HELPS has assisted over a million people in need.HOSEA HELPS also assists with rapid re-housing for the homeless, housing location placement for the working poor, homeless prevention, children/youth empowerment and job readiness programs. HOSEA HELPS also provides global outreach (Haiti, Philippines, and

The Black Women's Truth and Reconciliation Commission

What the funds are for:Your donation will help fund the fight against rape and other forms of sexual assault and harassment in our communities. Black women deserve dignity, respect, recognition, and recourse against their harm-doers. Help a survivor move into the light by sponsoring their participation in the Black Women’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) .